Jesus on the beach. Only a writer of curriculum materials for children's summer programs (also called Bible school or vacation church school) might consider the possibility of such a theme. But, hey, it's right there in the Bible. The story is in the Book of John, Chapter 21, the only gospel in which this story is told.

Such themes as "Jesus at the Beach", "Jesus is Our Treasure", "Wilderness Bound" or "African Safari" turn up every year for the weeklong events that feature stories, crafts, music, food and fun.

Durham congregations, the creative people that they are, change fellowship halls and hallways into almost anything their imaginations can conceive.

* St. Paul's Lutheran on Cornwallis Road has a reputation for going all out to create a virtual world of fantasy for its summer church school for children from 3 years old to sixth grade. This year they have built a huge ship and a waterfall in the fellowship hall as a backdrop for the theme "Jesus is Our Treasure." Classes begin at 9 a.m. Monday and continue every day through Friday.

Diane Archer, minister of education and youth, said the curriculum centers on what Jesus is doing in the Gospels, such as feeding the 5,000, walking on water, washing the feet of the disciples and Jesus at a cookout on the beach.

"This is Lutheran theology, what Jesus is doing [is] more than what we are doing. God's work with us [is] more than what we are doing for God," she said.

This Bible school mainly attracts children of the church, but an effort is made to invite children in the neighborhood by delivering door hangers announcing the event, Archer said.

Although the school does not have classes for teens, this group plays an important role in the success of the event, Archer said. "We have a Teen Team of middle and senior high students who are too old for Bible school but who help by shepherding the little 3-year-olds or cutting up melons in the kitchen."

* What appears to be a growing trend in Durham is for churches to band together across denominational lines to hold vacation church schools. A long-standing example is the collaboration of Epworth United Methodist and four Presbyterian churches: Westminster, First, Trinity Avenue and Mount Bethel. The churches hold one Bible school for 150 children at Camp New Hope on N.C. 86 between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.

As early as a month ago, registration had reached 150 children, a capacity crowd. Because of the size of the group, all parents are asked to volunteer in some leadership role during the week.

The event begins Monday and continues each day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The theme this year is "Wilderness Bound."

"It is unique, because we write the curriculum," said Nancy Rozak, director of Christian education at Westminster. "This curriculum has real integrity to it. Some of the packaged curriculums are trivial. ... We use the Bible stories. The Hagar story, the call of Moses, the Israelites in the desert, Jesus being baptized, Paul changed on the Road to Damascus. The idea is that God comes to meet these people in the wilderness."

She said that development of the curriculum requires many dedicated people to get this kind of quality. For example, plans for the Bible lessons were written by the Rev. Marilyn Hedgepeth, associate pastor at First Presbyterian, and the Rev. Cherrie Henry, Presbyterian campus pastor at Duke University.

A first this year will be an outdoor labyrinth designed by Tully Fletcher, a seminary student.

* Some churches continue to opt for their own Bible schools, such as Aldersgate United Methodist on Umstead Road. But instead of holding the event during the day, hours are from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with a light dinner served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the church. And instead of involving children only, this unique event involves the whole family. Nobody's too young or too old to attend.

"This year we're transforming our church into a little, and crowded, Bethlehem Village," said the Rev. Johnny Branch, pastor.

Family "Tribes" will come together for singing and then explore family life as lived in Bible times.

Registration is still open for the Bethlehem Village, which begins Sunday, June 25, and ends Thursday, June 29.

Retirement event

Durham Congregations in Action will meet at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday at Trinity United Methodist, 215 N. Church St. The Rev. Haywood Holderness, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian and past president of DCIA, will be honored as he retires at the end of the month.

Among speakers asked to comment on Holderness' years in Durham are Terry Allebaugh of Housing for New Hope, Pete Jones of Habitat for Humanity. Earline Middleton of the N.C. Food Bank, the Rev. Mel Williams of Watts Street Baptist, the Rev. Joe Harvard of First Presbyterian, the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins of Covenant Presbyterian and Holderness' wife, Mary.

Book on the rise

Ever since Bart Ehrman, who lives in Durham and teaches at UNC in Chapel Hill, appeared on National Public Radio's Diane Rheme Show and on Fresh Air, his book, "Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why?", has climbed to the top of the charts, and the waiting list for this book at the Durham Public Library is prohibitive.

The Rev. Joe Harvard, pastor at First Presbyterian, will explore all this interest in Jesus and the Bible on Sunday during the "People of the Word Class", which meets at 9:45 a.m. in Watts-Hill Hall at the church, on the corner of Main and Roxboro streets in downtown.

The public is invited.